Telautograph system



June 19, 1928.

A. N. VAN NOSTRAND TELAUTOGRAPH SYSTEM Original Fil y 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MN 1 7 O j mm NM a .H O r E N N H J T N 2 H U W v a.

L 27 2 O \|l|! \||l NE. N N? MN INV NTOR 7 4/ r Z CL UJ ATTORNEYS Patented June 19, 1928.

ARLEIGH NEIL VAN NOSTRAND, 0F PLUS GRAPH CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION GE KING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR PATENT OFFICE.

TD TEEAUELKB- VIRGINIA.

TELAUTOGRAPE SYQTEII.

driglnal application filed May 26, 1925, Serial No. 8 2,905. Divided and this application filed June 36,

v1926. Serial No. 119,828.

This invention relates to improvements in telautograph systems, and particularlyto a paper-shifting mechanism t erefor.

The present application is a division of my application .Serial No. 32,fi)5 filed May 26, 1925.

The object of this invention is to provide a paper-shifter which will-be reliable in operation and which will not only serve to i'eed the paper record strip at the receiver, but which will close the circuits for the field-magnets and for the pen lifter magnet.

The invention will be described more specifically in connection with the accompanying drawings, showin a paper strip ceding mechanism for telhutographs embodyingthe invention.

In the drawings 2 Figure 1 is an elevation, partly insection, showing the plungers'or cores intheir retracted position, the circuit for energizing the coils being merely diagrammatic.

Figure 2 is a sectional view at right angles to Figure l. g

Figure 3 a detail view of the armature and its attached arts.

Figure 4 is a etail perspective view of a spring switch device which may be operated by an electro-magnet device embodying the invention, and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrate ing the circuits of a telautograph rece ver in which the invention is used.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, two solenoid coils A, A, areemployed, each of which is'arranged to be energized by an electric current. In the present example, the coils are included, in series, in an electric circuit, which ma be energized from any suitable source. or the present purposes of explanation the circuit is shown in igure 1 as a slmpsle circuit arranged to he opened and closed y a switch 1, this CH- cuit including a battery 2.

Each of the coils, A, A,,is mounted on a tube 3, 3 oi suitable material, preferably non-magnetic.- In practice, tubes of brass are employed. Within these tubes, the solenoid cores or plun ers, B, B, can slide in the direction of .t eir longitudinal axes.

. Each core has one end tapered, as will be clear from the drawings. The slope and length of this tapered portion is of considerable importance. portion must be greater than the desired stroke of the cores. Also it must not be less than the maximum diameter of the core and not more than 1 times said diameter. The slope should not be substantially less than 5 degrees nor more than 15 degrees.

The two cores or plungers are longer than their coils have their respective outside ends connected by an armature C whose cross sectional area is sufiicient to give a path of good permeance for the flux, while at the same time the cross-section is relatively thin in the direction of the lon itudinal axes of the cores. Therefore, to o tain the desired cross-sectional area, the armature is made relatively wide, its width being greater than the diameter of the cores and its thickness less.

Where the electro-magne't device is used to shift a strip of material the armature C may be provided with a shunt magnetic circult having-an air gap, the arms of the shunt, in tie example illustrated, being indicated at 4, 4, with an air gap at 5. This shunt magnetic circuit with agap may be used to actuate a subsidiary armature of magnetic material, as for example, a clamp;

mg armature indicated at D, ich may be used to clamp the strip material so that, as the plungers move,the strip material will moved with them. As shown in the present example, the clamping armature D consists of a disk supported on a pin 6 passing through the center of the disk, this pin being carried'by a guide-bar 7 attached to and extending above a guide-plate 8 r secured to armature C. The guide bar is recessed to receive the disk, as will be clear from Figuie 3. The guide-plate and guide-her are made i of non-magnetic material and are arranged to provide a guide-slot .9 between them, throughwhich the material be fed or advanced may pass. In the best embodiment of the invention, the guide-plate 8 is of metal having a co-efidcient of expansion the same as that of the armature. in practice it has been found that .Monel meets the requirements. Thus any warping of the plate due to thermal changes is avoided. The clamping armature D will serve to clamp the strip o the poles 4, 4, when the a ture C is energized, and to release the strip when said metal most nearly material against 1 vantageously. is from 1 the edge of the armature is de-energized, thereby allowing the armature C to move without moving the strip ofmaterial. 7

For ease in introducing the stri of material through the guide slot 9, tlle guide plate 8 may beprovided with a guide lip 8' arranged at an angle, as shown in Figure 2. In this view the dotted line Z indicates the strip, which in a telautograph will be a strip of paper leading from a suitable roll, not shown, and assumed to be advanced in the direction of the arrow 2, Figure 2. It is convenient, also to so mount thedisk, D, that in its non-energized position, it will tend to assume an inchned position, as indicated in Figure 2, thus making it easier to insert the end' of a strip of paper through the guide slot 9. To accomplish this result, the

disk may have its central opening which re ceives the supporting pin countersunk on its side facing the armature so that when released by the armature, the wei ht of the disk will tend to tip it tothe esired incline. Furthermore, owing to this incline disk nearest to the pa r comes into contact with it first when the 1: is drawn up and thereafter the disk swings into full bearing on the pers so there is no sudden-slam of the disk against the paper,

and consequently no noise in clamping the paper.

The electro-magnet device also comprises a yokeE which is provided with openings, one for each plunger, into which 0 nings the inner ends of the respective p ungers may move, the said openings being 111 al1gn-.

ment with the plungers.

' The yoke has a cross-sectional area, intermediate the openings, which is not less than the maximum cross-sectional area of the reg; uisite plunger made of material of big permeability and in practice y be and adto 2 times that of such a plunger.

, Furthermore, that dimension of the cross section of the yoke which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plun ers is at least as great as the diameter 0 such a plunger, and advantageously is greater. In practice it has been found that said dimension may be from 1 to 1 or 1 times the maximum diameter of such a plunger; '-By making that dimension oi the yoke which extends in a direction parallel to the longitu- 3 dinal axis of the plunger, of a size not less than the maximum diameter or such a plunger, B or B, and tapering the plunger ends to a suficient extent, while also arranging them to move into the openings in the yoke, an important efiect on the action of the plungers is obtained, in tt a longer stroke is made possible by keeping up a strong pull until toward the endof the inward stroke of the plungers, whereupon the 3 a pull rapiydee until at this comprises a pad and armature, so

suitable manner.

I yoke and may have reinforcing ribs, as 'indiv for l miting the play of the plungers within their coils 'is' provided. In the direction in whichthe plungers move when drawn into the coils-,'their motion is limited by a yielding stop means.- In the resent example,

10 o feltwhich rests as upon the armature and has such a thichess that when compressed between the ends of the bobbins and the armature it will stop the plungers at the desired inward position. An advantage of this yielding material is so that it is noiseless.

The motion of the plungers in the opposite or outward direction is limited by a suitable sto mechanism. In the best embodiment o nism is adjustable. It comprises a sin le rod 11- screw hreaded into the-yoke E, t e rod extending through the armature and guide-plate and being provided with a head 12 outside the guide" plate. By means of the to head, the rod 11 may be turned to screw it in or out with relation to the yoke E. There may be a locking screw 13 provided in the yoke to engage and lock the rod 11. In the best embodiment of the invention as the side of the guide-plate next to the head of the rod 11 carries a projection, such as a boss 14, through which the rod 11 passes, this boss being of non-magnetic material and secured to the guide-plate, as for example, too by soldering or riveting or both. The outer side of the boss It is provided with a recess which, advantageously, has itsinner wall coned. The rod 11 is provided, next to its head, with one or more'washers ing material arran to be mueezed between the head 12 and the coned walls of the boss 14, thereby stopping the plungers and armature.

In the best embodiment of the invention no the rod 11' is so located that its longitudinal axis coincides with the longitual' axis through the center of vity of the plungers that when the plungers and armature are stop ed in their outward 115 movement by the bee l2 of the there will be no tendency of the H ersto saving laterally in their. respective tn 3,

The electro-meet device may be pro- 1% vided with means for supmrtin it in a In the exam e shown, the yoke is H? 3 arm extendi from a plate f, .whic me be secured to a. suitable wall, or the 'ke, as for ex the slab 0 slate or the like indica The arm F y be intewith the cated at f, and alsomay have a arrang braci web or fie:

eenty the invention thisstop mecha-- es 15 of yieldf are shown in 'ing pullofthe plungers at This web or flange serves not only to brace the arm E from the plate f, but also serves as a support for a contact device to be operated by the electro-magnet device if desired, as more fully explained hereinafter. a

It will be noted that the apparatus is so constructed that even in their extreme outward position, the plungers B, B, extend through the coils for substantially the entire length of each coil, so that when the coils are energized there is a stron magnetic pull and, because of the relatively great depth or thickness of the yoke and the slope and length of taper of the core ends the pull on the plungers is majptained nearly uniform until the infie r ends of the plungers approach the outer face of the yoke, whereupon the pull falls rapidly so that when the plungers are sto ped at the end of their inward stroke, t e remaining pull of the plungers is just suflicient to hold them in place. In the embodiment of the invention the drawings, the plungers are assumed to be vertical, and'with such an arrangement, the would move outward that is, downwar by gravity. In such an arrangement of the apparatus, the remaintheir extreme upto overcome the the plungersand their ward position is sufiicient action of gravity on attached parts.

In practice, the plungers are stopped slightly before their inner, or upper, ends reach the plane of the outer or upper face of. the yoke. It will be observed that because of the solid armature connection between the two outer ends of the plungers a. good magnetic circuit is provided, the

magnetite circuit being closed at all points except between the inner ends of the plungers and the yoke, so that by the proper taper of the plunger ends and by the use of a deep yoke, the desired results are obtained.

' plied to energize the said coils A, A,

en the electro-magnet device cmbodying the invention is used as a paper-shifter for telautographs, thecoils A, A, are included in a local circuit, which may be closed by a relay in one of writing line circuits, so theta strong current may be sllllpt us giving a, re atively powerful stroke for seeding the paper strip. 4

With such an electro-magnet device, it becomes possible to use the paper shifter .magnets to operate certain contact devices for closing and opening other circuits of the tclautographsystem. The advantage of this their attached parts is that themomentum of the plungers and insures the v roper action of the circuit closer and al ows them to be made more rugged than where only light relay is used In an apparatus embodying this feature of the invention the armature is provided tween -the springjaws 19' and 19.

tip-magnet device witha post 16 carrying a roller 17 which may be revolubly mounted on a pin 18, in the present example shown asa screw which is threaded into the post. The roller 17 is arranged to be forced between a pair of outwardly flared or sloping jaws 19, 19, each carried by a central spring H, H. These springs may be secured to, but insulated from, the web or flange 1. The electric circuit to beclosed and opened at the contact springs has its terminals connected to the respective contact springs. lVhen the electro-magnet device is energized the roller 17, which is of conductive material, enters between and makes contact with the jaws 19, 19, of the two springs H, H, thereby closing the circuit. At the same time, the tension of said springs is sufficient to cause some friction against the roller 17 thereby assisting in checking the inward movement of the solenoid plungers B, B.

Thus the contact springs serve as brakes as well as circuit closing devices.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, two circuits may be controlled at the contact device. Where this is to be done, theflange ,1 supports a third contact spring K and a rigid abutment device or stop L, these being insulated from the other springs. The contact spring K and the contact spring H may each be provided with contact points 20, 21, Figure 5, which contact with each other when the spring H is forced outward by the roller 17. The end of the spring K has its motion in the direction toward the spring H limited by suitable means.' In the present example, this result is obtained by providing a curved or hooked end 22 to the spring K, into which the end of the abutment device L projects. This abutment device, although of rigid material, may be bent, more or less, to adjust it and thereby to adjust the field of play of the spring K. The result of this construction is that the spring H may have a relatively light tension against the roller 17 as the latter first contacts with the inclined l9 and then as the spring H is-moved further in a lateral direction it comes into contact with and pushes laterally the spring K, thereby" effectively closingthe electric contact between H and K while at the same time the springs H and K may have a further outward movement together, so that they can yield as the roller 17 traveis further be- This avoids the necessity for extremely accurate adjustment of the springs. W hen the elecis tie-energized, the plungers B, B and their attached move outward, thus removing the roll from between the jaws l9, The H moves back, by its own resiliency, to the spring H, the spring K following s H for a short distance, until stopped L hooked end 22 engaging the stop L, where paper shifter, but also to close two circuits,

upon it is no longer able to follow'the spring H and the latter, in its further movement, causes a separation of the contacts 20 and '21, thereby breaking the electric circuit from K to H. e

In Figure 5 is illustrated diagrammatb cally the circuits of a telautograph receiver in which the hereinbefore described electrolnagnet device is arranged not only as a viz., the field magnet circuit and the pen lifting circuit. Referring to'Figure 5, W and V indicate the twovwriting lines of the receiver which are intended to receive variable currents over the line wires from the transmitter, the strength of the currents varying in accordance with the position of the transmitter stylus. The writing line W contains, as usual, the resistance coil indicated at 23 .and the movable bucket coil 24. The writing line W also contains the usual resistance coil 23 and the movable bucket coil 24'. Inaddition. it contains the winding 25 of a relay having an armature 26 arranged to close against a contact 27. At X is indicated the positive wire of the power circuit which connects to two branches at" and w, the former containingthe windings A. A, of the paper shifting mechanism here-v inbefore described. The branch a2 also includesthe contact. 27 and the armature 26 of the relay. When the relay is energized by a current passing in the line W the relay armature closes against the contact 27 and current from the power line flows over the branch a2 and energizes the winding A, A, of the paper shifter. The branch :2 con tains the field manget windings 29, 29, and has a terminal connected to the spring H of the contact device operated by the paper shifter, as hereinbefore described. At P is indicated the incoming pen-lifting line con-' 'nected to the line P,

which includes the winding 32 of the pen lifter magnet. This line P extends to the spring K of the conmit the passage tact device carried by the paper shiftingmechanism. the spring H of which is connected by the wire p to the negative lead Y. -When the contact springs K and H are out of engagement with'each other, pen-lift-' ing lines P. P stand open at said springs. A shunt p is provided around the windings 32 of the pen-lifting magnet and around the contact springs K and H. In this shunt is included the winding 33 of the high resistance signal buzzer. The lines W W :1? are extended to and connected directly to the negative line Y of the power circuit. The branch m of the positive power line is connected to the negative line Y through a resistance 30 and a condenser 31 which perof discharge oscillations and or prevent any sparkling at thereby reduce when the circuit is open at the spring H attracted to clamp the paper strip,

paper shifting mechanism. The B, B are released and moved outward,

'17 from the jaws of the two springs H and H. The. operation of the apparatus is obvious from the diagram but may be briefly described as follows:

\Vhen the receiver is receiving a message, writing currents of variable amperage flow over the wires W and W to the negative wire Y and return to the transmitting station either over a line wire or through a ground, as indicated at Y \Vhen the current flows through the writing line W it energizes the winding 25 of the relay and closes the branch circuit on from the positive power line X to the negative power line Y, thereby energizing the winding A, A, of the electro-magnet device shown in Figure 1. The plungers B. B, are drawn inward and the paper clamping disk D is simultaneously whichv is pulled along by the movement of the armature C and plungers. B, B. Also, the roller 17 contacts with the jaws 19, 19', thereby closing the electric circuit through the springs H, H, and moving the spring into contact with the spring K, thus closing the circuit through the lines P, P and also connecting the branch line :0 to the negative power line Y, through the wire P whereby the field magnet windings 29, 29, are energized so that the variable currents in the bucket coils 24, 24, will cause said coils to move in the field and thereby operate the pen arms in the usual way. With the penlifter lines P, P, closed at the springs K and H. any current coming over the line P from the transmitting station will energize magnet releases its armature to lower the.

writing pen against the paper.

When no current flows over the writing line W the winding 25 of therelay is deenergized and the relay armature 26 opens the branch circuit 1', thereby deenergizing the windings A and A of the .plunger's thereby moving the roller 17 away from en gagement with the jaws of springs H, H, and allowing the springs H to separate from the spring K. When the roller 17 moves out of contact with either spring H or H the Ion branch m of the power line is opened and the'field windings 29, 29, are de-energized. The separation of springs H and K opens the lines P, P. v If in this condition of the apparatus. a signalling current is sent over the line P, this current will pass over the shunt p and will serve to operate the signal buzzer whose winding is indicated at 33. The lines X and Y may be connected to line wires leading to the transmitter, in

Which case the ground Y is unnecessary, or said Wires X and Y may be connected in a local power circuit in which case the ground Y is necessary in order to allow to writing currents in the wires V ll, and the signalling current or pen lifting current in the wires 79 and P, P, to return to the transmitting stat-ion through the ground. As before stated, the branch containing the resistance 30 and condenser 31 is merely to take care of the oscillating discharge around the spring H when the circuit is broken between said spring and the roller 17.

By using the line relay in the line W merely for the purpose of closing the branch 83 of the power line through the windings A, A, of the paper shifting mechanism, the relay device is greatly simplified over the structures heretofore employed, in which the said relay was used, not only to close the circuit through the paper shifting windings, but also to close the circuit through the field windings and through the pen lifter windings, As this relay is, of necessity, operable by weak currents, it is very ditficult to ad- ,just properly, when employed to operate more than one set of contacts. By the present construction, the paper shifter, which is a relatively rugged and powerful device, is used to close the respective circuits through the field windings and through the pen lifting windings.

it will be noted that in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings the means for limiting the play of the plungers is so adjusted that in the extreme outward position the faces of their tapering ends lie substantially in the same plane as the inner face of the yoke, or, at least, of that part of the yoke in the vicinity of the coils. Hence, the maximum power is applied to the plnngers at starting, due to the concentration of" the mar he tapered ends of the pin; s and ra inner: faceof the yoke adjacent the of age therein. At this position flux density divided hv area of the path is me:

An importn F tromagnet device and devices heretofore einpl applies the i i beyond 'ineance, of an auxiliary armature allel for the magnetic flux from one plunger to the other, one path having a relatively high permeance and the other being an interrupted shunt path of relatively low perarranged to be actuated by the magnetic flux through the shunt path of the main armature, and means for developing a magneto-motive force to move the plungcrs in one direction.

2. The combination, with a pair of plung- 75 ers, a yoke having openings to receive said plungers, and a main armature secured to both plungers and formed to provide two paths in parallel for the magnetic flux from one plunger to the other, one path having a relatively high permeance and the other being an interrupted shunt path of relatively low permeance, of a strip-advancing mechanism arranged to be moved by the plungers, a strip-clamping mechanism carried by the strip-advancing mechanism and arranged to be actuated by the magnetic flux through the shunt path of the main armature, whereby the strip is clamped, and means for developing a magneto-motive force to move the plungers in one direction.

3. In an electro-magnet device, the combination, with a pair of plungers, a yoke having openings to receive said plungers, and a main armature secured to both plungers and formed to provide two paths in parallel for the magnetic fill from one plunger to the other, one path having a relatively high permeance and the other being an interrupted shunt path of relatively low perineance, the former path having a permeanee less than that of the remainder oi the mag netic circuit, of an auxiliary armature arranged to be actuated by the magnetic flux through the shunt path of the main armature, and means for developing a magneto motive force to more said plungers in one direction. 7 at. The combination, with a pair of ers, a yoke having openings to receive said no plungers, and a main armature secured to tooth plungers, and to provide paths in paralle no magnetic flux from one plunger to other one path havi;

I other:=

relative ing an IllltfilfllZD ion permeance, anisni at! may pass, netic a pin carried anisrr magnet device, of a relay arran ed to close and open sald'cl'rcult, a. contact dev ce oper- P ated by said electro-magnet device; arranged to close two circuits" when said electro-magnet device is energized. v

6. In a telautograph 'system, the combination, with a field magnet winding a, power and the pen lifter circuit.

circuit which said winding is included, a pen lifter magnet winding, a, pen lifting line circuit in which said pen-lifter winding is included, and a contact device arranged 'to close both the power circuit and said pen j lifting line circuit, of a. writing line circuit, 15 a relay in said writing line, a. paper-shifter,

an clectro-magnet for operating the same, a power circuit including the windings of said paper shifter electro-magnet and-arranged to be controlled by said relay, said electro- 20 magnet being arranged to control the contact devicefor closing the field jmagnet'circuit' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARLEIGH NEIL VAN NOSTRAND. 

